


Ode to the Restless

by corgasbord



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, Hope's Peak AU, Just a little bit angsty, M/M, Unrequited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-06 01:11:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11589939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corgasbord/pseuds/corgasbord
Summary: A walk around the dormitory halls under the cover of darkness brings to light two important facts: sleeplessness and boredom don’t mix well, and Kokichi and Shuuichi have a little more in common than they thought.





	Ode to the Restless

**Author's Note:**

> this is my third and final gift for the ndrv3 christmas in july exchange, which i wrote for chana! enjoy!

Sleep has abandoned Kokichi for so long that he’s made a game of seeing how long it takes for it to come crawling back. Some nights he counts minutes, and others he counts imaginary sheep - not because he thinks it’ll help him fall asleep, but to see how high the number can get before he inevitably gets distracted by a new train of thought.

Tonight he’s at one hundred and fifty-eight sheep and counting. One hundred fifty-nine, one hundred sixty… not much longer now until he beats his record. What will he do after that? Will he just keep going, or will he get bored? One hundred sixty-seven, one hundred sixty-eight, one hundred sixty-nine, on and on and he’s wondering if he can continue until morning comes, because at this rate he’s not going to doze off any time soon.

Are there better ways to pass the time when sleep isn’t an option? Probably. Maybe he should go press Kiibo about that, because Kiibo wasn’t even built to need sleep. Besides, Kokichi has wondered before what a robot would do in its spare time.

(One hundred eighty-two, one hundred eighty-three, one hundred eighty-four…)

Then again, he doubts it’ll be that interesting. Perhaps Kiibo just sits at his charging port and has daydreams about electric sheep.

(One hundred ninety-one… one hundred ninety-two…)

Kiibo would accuse Kokichi of robo-racism if he ever voiced such a theory, though. The thought makes him snort. Kiibo’s hot buttons are so easy to press that it’s getting old at this point, like a talking doll that repeats the same stock phrases over and over and over again.

Having lost count of his sheep by this point, Kokichi heaves himself into a sitting position. He needs to move around, stretch his legs a bit, clear his head - or try to, rather. There’s no telling whether he’ll actually be successful with that last part.

He can’t be bothered to change out of his pajamas, only sliding on his loafers before he slips out of his room and into the darkened hallway. He doesn’t expect to encounter anyone, anyway, because who else would do something as strange as wander around the first year dormitories at this hour?

Actually, come to think of it, he isn’t even sure what time it is. Too late to be taking a stroll, at any rate. He contemplates sneaking outside for some fresh air, but isn’t sure if it’s worth the trouble. (The fact that it’s not allowed is of no concern to him, of course. Students aren’t even supposed to be outside of their bedrooms past curfew, so he’s already breaking the rules.)

His steps slow, however, as he approaches a corner and hears a quiet, distant noise from beyond it. It sounds like footsteps, soft and shuffling and gradually getting closer. Kokichi pauses at the edge of the wall, his curiosity piqued. _Now, who could that be?_

Of course, since he rarely passes up the opportunity for mischief, he remains still, letting them grow nearer and nearer until they sound no more than a meter away. Then, lips split into a shit-eating grin, he leaps out in front of the unwitting passerby with a loud “Boo!”

His victim yelps and stumbles back, and Kokichi immediately recognizes him as the most timid of his classmates. “Oh, hey, Saihara-chan!”

Shuuichi regards Kokichi warily, one hand on his chest as though the surprise had pushed him to the brink of heart failure. “O- Ouma-kun? What are you doing out here so late?”

Kokichi hums and casually folds his hands behind his head. “I could ask you the same thing, you know.”

“But I asked you first.”

“And I asked you second.”

“That doesn’t-” Shuuichi starts to protest, only to recognize that the effort is futile halfway through and stop himself with a sigh. “Fine. I was having trouble falling asleep, so… I’m just out for a walk.”

“Hm. That’s a little suspicious, don’t you think?” Kokichi asks, knowing full well that Shuuichi’s response is perfectly reasonable. “I mean, most people would think you’re up to no good, sneaking around the halls when everyone else is asleep.”

“But you’re doing the same thing,” Shuuichi points out with a frown.

“Oh, I actually _am_ up to no good, though. You know, same as always!”

Shuuichi pauses, and Kokichi can see the faint narrowing of his eyes even in the scarce light. “You’re not going to go harass Kiibo-kun again, are you?”

Kokichi hadn’t been planning on it, but he fakes a gasp anyway. “Oh no, I’ve been found out! Are you gonna try and stop me now, Saihara-chan?”

“Ouma-kun…” Shuuichi trails off, heaving another sigh. “Please leave him alone. Seriously, you can’t just go picking on him whenever you’re bored.”

“Sure I can! Try to lighten up a little, Saihara-chan. It’s not like I’m really hurting anything.”

“You’re hurting Kiibo-kun’s feelings.”

“Does he really have feelings, though? Do we know for sure?” Kokichi puts a finger to his chin, as if he’s actually pondering it. “I mean, he isn’t human, after all.”

Shuuichi’s expression hardens, and Kokichi isn’t sure why, but it sparks an unfamiliar and discomforting feeling in the pit of his gut. Hm. How odd.

“Juuuust kidding! Sheesh, no need to get such a scary look on your face,” Kokichi says.

Shuuichi remains stern. “That isn’t funny, Ouma-kun.”

“Or maybe you just don’t have a sense of humor,” Kokichi retorts. Then he flashes Shuuichi a bright, innocent smile. “Hey, I know! If you’re so worried I’m gonna go bother Kiibaby, why don’t you just entertain me instead?”

Kokichi expects the flat look that Shuuichi gives him. What he doesn’t expect is Shuuichi’s acceptance, however begrudging - but then, Shuuichi is always finding new ways to defy his expectations. It’s one of the many things Kokichi loves about him.

“Like I said, I’m just going for a walk. But… if you feel like tagging along, then I guess I don’t mind.” Before Kokichi can get too excited, however, Shuuichi adds, “Try not to make a lot of noise, though, okay? We’re not supposed to be out here, and I’d really rather not wake anyone else up.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I’m reeeeally good at sneaking around- I mean, look how easily I managed to sneak up on you!”

Shuuichi doesn’t look too reassured by that, but he doesn’t argue. Instead, he brushes past Kokichi to continue down the hall, not glancing back to see if Kokichi will follow. Well, if there’s one predictable thing about Shuuichi, it’s that he remains stubbornly distant every time they talk, like Kokichi’s company is replaceable at best and aggravating at worst. Based on that alone, Kokichi knows that Shuuichi doesn’t trust him.

He tells himself that it’s fine, though. He wouldn’t trust himself if he were in Shuuichi’s position, either.

He cheerfully skips after Shuuichi, hurrying to keep pace with him. “Hey, don’t try to ditch me so quickly, Saihara-chan!”

“I’m not,” Shuuichi huffs, sounding exasperated already. “I don’t want you running off and getting into trouble, or something.”

“But would you be able to catch me if I did run off?”

Shuuichi gives him a startled look. “Huh?”

“Nevermind, that was a joke. I don’t feel like working up a sweat this late.”

At that, Shuuichi relaxes slightly. “I- I see.”

“You didn’t seriously believe I’d want to play tag in the halls or something right now, did you? How childish!” Kokichi snickers, waiting for the discomfiture to flicker across Shuuichi’s features, and oh, what he wouldn’t give to see them under proper lighting when he continues, “Obviously I’d only play tag in the halls during the daytime, when other people are around!”

“That’s ridiculous,” Shuuichi mutters with a disbelieving shake of his head. “Though, it does make me wonder… do you come out at night often?”

Kokichi nods. “All the time! Sometimes I play with Kiibaby, other times I go snooping. And every once in a while, I pick the lock to your dorm and come in to watch you sleep.”

“Wait, _what_?”

“Just kidding!”

Shuuichi crosses his arms and frowns at the floor. “That isn’t funny, Ouma-kun… besides, the locks to our dorms can’t be picked, if I remember correctly.”

“Well, at least you remember that much,” Kokichi remarks. “In any case, you don’t get enough sleep for me to get away with that, anyway.”

“Wha- how do you know that?” Shuuichi demands, bristling.

Kokichi smirks. “I didn’t until just now. Your reaction basically confirms it… though, even before then, I was able to make an educated guess.”

“I…” Shuuichi trails off for a bit, at a loss. “And what of it? I don’t think that’s any of your concern.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, you’re my dearest friend, Saihara-chan!” he says, and it’s a lie but he can’t help wishing that it weren’t.

“Since when?” Shuuichi all but scoffs.

“What?” Kokichi’s eyes begin to water. “Are you saying… are you saying that you don’t see me as a friend, Saihara-chan? I-I can’t believe you would say something so cruel…”

“I don’t think you’re really in a position to reprimand me for that,” Shuuichi tells him bluntly. “Besides, do you actually consider me your friend to begin with?”

Kokichi’s tears dissipate almost immediately, and his brows furrow in feigned indignation. “Of course I do! That part wasn’t a lie- and I wasn’t lying when I said I was concerned, either,” he insists, though his words don’t match his exaggerated pout.

Shuuichi rolls his eyes. “Well, regardless, that isn’t necessary. It’s been this way for years, so I’m used to running on little sleep.”

“That doesn’t sound very healthy, though. Maybe you should have someone check that out,” Kokichi says.

“Again, I don’t think you’re in any place to tell me what to do, here.” Shuuichi looks over at Kokichi, his gaze surprisingly sharp even in the darkness. “Given that you’re up this late, and that you’ve supposedly made a habit of it.”

“That could’ve just been a lie, though,” Kokichi reminds him.

“Maybe. But I get the feeling that there was some truth to it. Most people wouldn’t be acting the way that you are right now unless they were used to being up this late,” Shuuichi reasons, shaking his head.

“You underestimate my acting skills, Saihara-chan. I’m actually on the verge of falling asleep as we speak!” Before Shuuichi can respond, Kokichi starts to tip to the side with a loud yawn.

“Ouma-kun!” Shuuichi yelps, and just as Kokichi seems ready to fall, Shuuichi catches him, slipping his arms beneath Kokichi’s in order to haul him back upright.

“Nishishi,” Kokichi giggles, comfortably leaning his weight against Shuuichi. “Wow, you actually caught me! I thought you would’ve just let me fall.”

“That would’ve been kind of mean,” Shuuichi says, his frown practically audible. An unspoken “even for you” follows his words, and Kokichi can’t _really_ hear it, but he can feel it when Shuuichi nudges him away, and he has to pretend it doesn’t sting. “If you’re that tired, you should just go back to bed.”

“I’m not, though. I just wanted to see what you would do there,” Kokichi says, nonchalant and completely truthful (for once). “Besides, I could say the same for you, you know.”

Shuuichi’s face creases with something like a wince, just for a split second. “Well, I’m going to head back to my room soon, anyway.”

Kokichi smiles again in a way that feels too earnest, even to him. “Oooh, we should have a sleepover, Saihara-chan! I bet we’d both sleep better with a little company.”

“Wh- excuse me?” Shuuichi sputters, and once again Kokichi finds himself wishing that they were in better light, because he can only imagine that Shuuichi’s cheeks are the loveliest shade of pink at the suggestion.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” he lies yet again. “You’re so easily flustered, nishishi.”

Shuuichi shoots a glare at him. “Don’t just go saying such weird things. Anyone would get flustered by something like that.”

“I’d say that you’re right, but I thought you of all people would be smart enough to see through that,” Kokichi says. “Looks like you remain as boring as ever, Saihara-chan. In fact, I think you might _really_ put me to sleep if I stick around any longer, so I’m just going to head to bed now.”

With that, he turns on his heel, but the sound of Shuuichi’s voice makes him pause before he can even start walking in the opposite direction. “You don’t have any intention of sleeping, do you?”

Kokichi doesn’t look over his shoulder. “Neither do you.”

Shuuichi is silent, faltering. Then, he asks, “Do you get anxious, too, Ouma-kun? Is that why you can’t sleep?”

Kokichi’s lips split into an utterly joyless grin, and he peers back at Shuuichi, just for a moment. “Hmm. Wouldn’t you like to know? … That is, if you actually cared.”

He doesn’t wait for a response before breaking into a run down the hall, letting the shadows swallow him up again, and he doesn’t have to check to know that Shuuichi isn’t following him. He wouldn’t have any reason to go after someone like Kokichi, after all.

Still, Kokichi feels unusually warm when he crawls back into bed and wraps himself in soft sheets and the false sense of safety that comes with them. An image of Shuuichi occupies his mind instead of imaginary sheep, a version who can finally see through all of Kokichi’s concrete lies as though they were cellophane instead. He can almost convince himself, however fleetingly, that Shuuichi cares enough to try to understand him, and to act on the realization that they have far more in common than the real Shuuichi would like to think.

It’s foolish. It’s naive. It’s juvenile. It’s a bold-faced lie, but it’s comforting, so he lets it stay.


End file.
